Various Drabbles and OneShots
by velja
Summary: An ever-growing collection of short stories featuring Damon. They are all unrelated, unless stated otherwise each chapter is a piece of its own. Various pairings, including slash, so you have been warned. Basically it's Damon with either Elena or Alaric. Some stories are funny, fluffy, far-fetched and over-the-top, others more serious or canon-based.
1. Cold Fries DamonElena

**Cold Fries**

_I started writing this short piece for the prompt: Alaric/Damon – feel something._

_But then it turned into a Delena story instead. Don't know why but the upcoming episode (road trip, road trip!) seems to inspire me to write a lot of what I'm afraid we won't be seeing on the show. Hope you like it._

_As always, this is un-beta-ed, sorry. I'm too impatient to have someone else looking it over before posting. I want things up and ready for people to read the second I finish writing them. And also, I don't own anything from the Vampire Diaries, not even the cold fries on Alaric's plate.  
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The diner is empty apart from a lonely middle-aged man in one of the red leather-clad booths. He's staring down onto his half-eaten plate of fries next to his coffee, not looking up when they enter.

Damon tears the door open with a casual swing that has it bouncing right back and, not waiting to see if it smacks into Alaric's face when he follows, struts inside like he owns the place.

Alaric shares a quick look with Elena, who makes the silent rear of their unlikely trio. The girl appears to be only half-awake, her eyelids are drooped and she can barely walk a straight line to the booth Damon's already sprawled in.

Alaric takes pity on Elena, after all it's half past two at night and she should be asleep for all intents and purposes. He steers her by the shoulder towards the booth and lets her slump down before he slides in next to her.

Damon doesn't look up from the menu he's studying and Alaric silently grabs one for himself from where it is wedged in between the salt and pepper sprinklers on the table. He doesn't have to glance at it for long to decide what he wants. It's your average diner menu with fries and burgers and the likes and at this point Alaric doesn't really care what he's gonna get into his growling stomach anyway.

He looks up when he notices the bored-beyond-words waitress making her way over to them, notepad and pen ready in her hand.

"Elena," he shakes her shoulders gently. "What do you want?"

She grumbles something unintelligible and doesn't open her eyes. "Elena," Alaric tries again.

"She'll have a burger and a coke," Damon's voice is sure and his smile for the waitress is bright. "But leave the pickles, she doesn't like pickles. I'll have the same, but make that a beer instead of coke. And it's with pickles for me."

The waitress pops her gum and notes the order down with a nod. When her head turns to Alaric he has to shake himself out of his stupor for a moment.

"Coffee, black," he orders then. "And just fries. Thanks."

The waitress shuffles away and Alaric turns his head to ask Damon how come he knows Elena doesn't like pickles. But then, there's really no need, is there?

Damon knows because once upon a time, before this whole 'you-killed-my-brother-and-you're-lying-when-you-say-you-saw-the-ring' thing started, Elena and Damon have been close. They've been friends, friends who spend time together, who know what the other likes to eat and what not, who simply know each other.

And Alaric can't help but wonder if Damon misses that. The friendship, the closeness, the easiness between them. If that's maybe why Damon has been needling Elena constantly with his flirty comments and casual touches. If Elena's sudden, but well-deserved, coldness is perhaps getting to him.

If Damon's feeling the loss.

But that would imply that Damon is able, or better yet, is allowing himself, to actually feel something.

Alaric isn't aware that he's been staring at Damon's smirking face for a while now. Only when Damon raises one dark brow expectantly and flashes him an impatient: "Well? Say it, Rick," he brings his eyes, and thoughts, back into focus.

"Do you…" he starts but then breaks off again when the waitress dumps their food on the table. The drinks are already there, though Alaric can't remember her bringing them at all. He grabs the hot steaming cup and takes a cautious sip from his coffee. His eyes never leave Damon's face, he watches the vampire take a swing from his bottled beer.

"'Lena," Damon suddenly addresses the half-asleep girl that Rick has nearly forgotten is slumped in her seat next to him. "Wakey-wakey, food's here. Come on, you need to eat something."

Elena's eyes fly open after only the first word and a soft smile grazes her face before she's able to control it. And that's all it takes for Alaric to suddenly know without a doubt that Damon's not the only one missing their friendship.

During the day, when awake and alert, she may be able to hold on to the cold hatred. But her over-exhausted and sleep-deprived mind just can't pretend anymore. Or maybe it doesn't want to.

Alaric shakes his head in stunned awe when he watches the smile fall from Elena's face the second she's fully awake.

"Don't pretend to care," she snaps over the table and takes a quick sip from her coke. Then she grabs the burger and flips off the top, ready to pick off any unwanted contents.

"Oh," her voice is soft, stunned, when she discovers there's nothing to remove. The burger is perfect, just the way she likes it.

Elena's eyes fly to Damon instantly. Alaric follows her gaze and he sees the vampire's blue orbs sparkle with obvious pleasure at having done the right thing.

"No pickles, 'Lena. I haven't forgotten."

Elena's face closes off. "Neither have I."

Ouch!

Alaric shakes his head again and silently puts some fries into his mouth. These two, he knows, still have a long way to go. But he's suddenly sure they're gonna make it.

Why he wants them to or why he even cares… Alaric doesn't probe his mind for an answer. He knows he wouldn't like it anyway.

But he likes cold fries even less, so he stops thinking all together and continues stuffing some into his mouth. This way at least he knows he's safe from saying something neither of them is ready to hear yet.

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**The End**

_Do you like it? Let me know. _**  
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	2. Semantics DamonAlaric

**Semantics**

_The prompt was: Vampire Diaries. Damon/Alaric. I wanna drink with you all night, till we both fall down._

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When Alaric enters his hotel room, a towel slung around his hips and hair still dripping wet from the shower he just took, he doesn't have to look up to know that Damon is still sitting on the bed.

"I thought I told you to leave," he states and walks over to where he's left his bag of clothes. Then, almost as an afterthought, he adds: "Where's Elena?"

"Save and sound in her own room," Damon drawls and takes a sip from the mini bottle of Bourbon he's obviously stolen from the mini bar. "Though she wouldn't let me tuck her in bed."

"And you blame her for that?" Alaric raises an eyebrow and watches Damon finish off another one of those tiny but very expensive mini bottles. "You killed her brother, Damon."

"Oh, come on, Rick. We've been over this! I saw the ring on Jeremy's finger!" Damon lets the bottle fall onto the mattress by his side and reaches for another one. Only then does Alaric notice that several bottles rest next to Damon. He's obviously raided the mini bar completely and has dumped the entire contents on the bed.

"I don't believe you, Damon. And neither does Elena," Rick plops down onto the bed and snatches the bottle from Damon's hand. "Now, what are you still doing here? What do you want?"

"I wanna drink with you all night till we both fall down."

Alaric doesn't know if Damon's joking around or… not. His voice gives nothing away, and neither does his face. He simply snatches the bottle back from Rick, raises an eyebrow in challenge and then empties it.

Rick watches his Adam's apple move when he swallows and then grabs another bottle from the bed. "Alright," he unscrews the lid and takes a big gulp. "Lets drink."

"Till we both fall down," Damon adds and it sounds almost like a toast.

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Six or eight bottles later Rick is inwardly cursing whoever it was that came up with the idea to put alcohol into bottles so small that they fit into your palm. Because, seriously… they're of no use whatsoever. The amount of alcohol is just minimal and you only end up with lots and lots of empty bottles that take up all the space on the bed.

"This is ridiculous," he sighs and shakes his head. "You can't even get drunk on those mini things, can you?"

Damon doesn't answer and so Rick turns his head to the side to see if the vampire is still there. He is, and his face is closer than Rick remembers it to be. In fact, his nose just bumped into Damon's ear, so… definite closeness here that hasn't been there before.

But that can also be because Damon's leaning in and… nuzzling his neck.

Huh?

"What are you doing?" Rick asks and his words stir up the hair in the back of Damon's neck.

"Looking if you're down already," Damon purrs right into his ear.

"Nope," Rick frowns into Damon's hair. He's still sitting on the bed, isn't he?

Apparently he was because the next thing he notices is a quick but surprisingly gentle shove and then he's on the ground. He can feel the scratchy carpet underneath his cheek.

"Now you are," Damon smirks and downs another one of those ridiculously small bottles. Before Alaric can so much as blink or lift himself up on one elbow there's a blur and then Damon is on top of him.

"Now we both are," the vampire smirks right before he captures Rick's lips in a kiss.

It takes Rick several seconds and two attempts to get his voice back under control before he manages to point out: "But you didn't fall down. You…pounced."

"Who cares about semantics?" Damon shrugs and leans down to kiss him again.

Rick can't argue with that. He doesn't want to.

After all, the outcome stays the same, doesn't it?

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**The End**


	3. Nervous

_Written for the Vampire Diaries Comment Ficathon._

_Prompt:_ _Damon/Elena (preferably not in-a-relationship-Damon/Elena, though), "Seriously, Damon? Nowhere in the span of a hundred and fifty years did you learn to put a tie on properly?"_

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**Nervous**

"Damon, where are you? It's time, we have to…"

Elena peeked around the corner and found Damon standing in front of the full-length mirror.

"Just a sec," he threw over his shoulder.

Elena stepped further into the room and watched him struggle with the tie around his neck. A small smile played around her lips. "What is this? Nervous, Damon?"

"Pfft, no," Damon scoffed. He turned away from the mirror and faced her instead. "Why would I be nervous? It's not like **I'm** the groom, so…" He shrugged and lowered his eyes to catch a glimpse of the knot he'd managed to fabricate. He went nearly cross-eyed and looked up again frowning. "This isn't right, is it?"

Elena sauntered over, happiness radiating off her in spades. "Only if you look at it with your eyes closed. And even then…"

"Stop gloating and just help me out here, will you?"

Elena smiled and then went to quickly reopen the knot. Her hands worked both ends of the blue tie in sure moves and soon enough she had formed the perfect knot. She stepped back and eyed her work. "There you go, all set."

Damon turned back to the mirror. "I'm impressed, Elena. You have to show me that again some time but for now…" he winked at her. "I'll go with your handiwork making me look good."

"Damon," Elena shook her head. "I know you know how to do this, so stop pretending…"

"Who's pretending?" Damon interjected with a casual shrug.

"Seriously, Damon?" Elena raised an eyebrow. "Nowhere in the span of a hundred and fifty years did you learn to put a tie on properly?"

"There was no need," Damon shrugged again and turned to pick up the drink he'd poured himself earlier.

Elena crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't believe him for a second. This was all Damon trying to hide and squash his fluttering nerves, nothing else. "I've seen you wear a tie before, Damon. Many times in fact. If you don't know how to do them, who did it for you all those times, huh?"

"Stefan," Damon grinned and took another sip from whatever alcohol the tumbler held.

"Stefan," Elena repeated and her eyebrow rose again. "Sure. You really expect me to believe that for example on the day of the Masquerade Ball, Stefan did your tie for you. Or at the Miss Mystic Pageant, when Stefan was high on human blood and trying to hide it, he took the time to do your tie for you before he went crazy with bloodlust? Seriously, Damon?"

Damon's sure-of-himself smirk wavered just for a second, but Elena had seen enough. She walked over and took the tumbler from his hands.

"It's okay to be nervous, Damon. I understand," Elena smiled softly.

Damon rolled his eyes in one last attempt to get her off his trail. "For the last time, Elena. I. Am. Not. Nervous. There's absolutely no reason for me to be." But he knew it was futile. She knew him too well.

"Right, Damon," Elena linked her arm with his and began walking towards the door. "There's no reason for you of all people to be nervous about the fact that your best friend, something you don't even admit to having, is getting married today and that you're proud and happy beyond belief that he asked you to be his best man? Why would you have to be nervous about standing there by his side, in front of every citizen of Mystic Falls, admitting that you actually have a best friend and that you're proud of the fact, and happy for him, and… just happy in general?" Elena cuffed an elbow into Damon side and squeezed his arm. "No need to be nervous at all, no."

"Absolutely," Damon agreed and cuffed her back. Then he straightened up and led her through the corridors of the church to the small side door that would take them into the main hall.

Damon stopped with one hand on the handle. He sought out Elena's eyes and they shared a gentle smile.

"Here goes nothing," he breathed out and opened the door.

They walked through and Damon could immediately feel everyone's eyes on him. He gulped. Elena squeezed his arm one last time and then had to leave his side in order to join the other bridesmaids waiting outside for their special entrance. Damon's eyes followed her until she'd vanished through the backdoor. Then he turned his head to look beyond the front row and slowly made his way over, avoiding everyone's gaze on him.

Halfway there Damon suddenly felt another pair of eyes on him. He looked up and all the nervousness suddenly fell off him. He could do this.

Damon squared his shoulders and with a smile on his face strode purposefully up to take his rightful place next to the groom.

"You okay?" Ric asked.

"Yep," Damon replied with a wink. "Let's get you married, Ric."

And when the music announced the bride's entrance the two of them turned around in unison to watch Jenna walk up the aisle.

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**The End**


	4. One Scary Dude

**One Scary Dude… But With Nice Hair**

_A short funny missing Damon/Alaric scene from 2x14 'Crying Wolf'; set in between Damon's confrontation with Elijah at the Lockwood tea party and him and Alaric at the boarding house nursing his wound and drinks and discussing Elijah's nice hair. Written mostly from Alaric's POV._

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Alaric's eyes traveled over the crowd gathered at the Lockwood mansion without taking in much. His gaze was focused on Damon who was right now leading Elijah into a secluded room, possibly the late Mayor's study. Ric was about to follow the two vampires when John Gilbert stepped in his way.

Damn, he really hated this guy.

Like usual John was talking big, threatening to expose Alaric's lies to Jenna and claiming the ring back at the same time, but Alaric managed to be his cool unimpressed self until John stalked away again.

Alaric let out a deep breath.

Sure, the lying to Jenna was something that had been weighing on his conscience for a long time. Ric knew that sooner or later Jenna would catch up on it and would feel betrayed and then Ric would have to come up with something to make her forgive him… to make her understand…

Ric knew he should be thinking about some strategy to soften the blow once it came. Something better than his lame 'I was grading papers' excuse. But right now he couldn't. Thinking strategy would have to wait until later.

Right now Alaric's sole concern was what was going on behind the closed doors of the study. Damon had said he only wanted to talk to Elijah, probe the Original for some information on his agenda, but…

Well, the thing was… Over the course of the last few months Ric had come to know Damon quite well and he'd learned first-hand that what the vampire said and what he did were usually two completely different things.

Ric wouldn't put it past Damon to do something really stupid, like trying to kill Elijah right here, right now, with all of Mystic Falls's citizens having a tea party next door.

That was exactly the kind of thing Damon would do.

Ric let out another low sigh and walked over to the study. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Jenna talking to Carol Lockwood and Ric sent a small smile towards them. When he focused back on the study the door suddenly opened and Elijah stepped out.

He looked impeccable and calm as always, and also just as alive, or undead, as before. Not a hair on his head seemed out of place and his suit didn't have even the smallest of wrinkles.

So whatever had happened in there, Alaric deduced, it hadn't had the slightest impact on the Original.

But what about Damon?

Ric waited for the other vampire to come out after Elijah and when several seconds passed with no Damon emerging, he grew suspicious and – to his own surprise, or not so much – concerned.

Without a second thought Ric stepped into Elijah's path.

"Where's Damon?"

Eyes as cold as ice bore into him and Ric had trouble not to crumble under the assessing stare. Seconds passed and very slowly the thought crept up on him that maybe confronting the oldest and scariest vampire known to him heads-on wasn't one of the best ideas. But nevertheless, Ric held Elijah's gaze, chin up and not blinking. And eventually Elijah's lips formed a small smile.

"No need to worry," his voice dripped with superiority. "He will be out shortly. He just needs to clean himself up a bit. Humans tend to react so strongly to the sight of blood and it would be a shame to disturb this nice social gathering that way, wouldn't it?"

Blood?

Some of his concern must have shown on Ric's face because Elijah stepped closer and briefly touched Ric's shoulder in a gesture of mock-comfort.

"I merely gave him a warning, so… He will survive, for now," the smooth voice caused a shiver to run down Ric's spine. Or was it the hand on his shoulder that did it? Alaric didn't know for sure. All he knew was that this guy had class. And he was way out of his league. And out of Damon's as well. All of them combined wouldn't possibly stand a chance against Elijah.

Hopefully Damon had come to the same conclusion.

Alaric gulped down the sudden lump in his throat and tried to form some words but Elijah had already moved away again. With a slight bow and a toss of his hair he gestured for Ric to enter the study.

"Go ahead, I'm sure Damon will appreciate the help of a friend."

"Ugh, okay," Ric mumbled and without a second glance squeezed past Elijah. He opened the door to the study and cautiously entered, not sure what he would find.

Inside the curtains were almost all drawn and the room was lulled in dim silence.

"Damon?"

Alaric's eyes needed a moment to adjust to the darkness and so it took him a few seconds to locate the vampire.

Damon was seated in the office chair behind the massive desk. He was slumped forward, head nearly lowered onto the table top, and he was pressing something to the left side of his neck.

Stepping closer Ric recognized it as a formerly white and now thoroughly bloodied handkerchief.

"You alright, Damon?"

Damon lifted his head and, still pressing the cloth to his neck, he hissed: "Does it look like I'm alright, Ric?"

Ric was at his side in a heartbeat. He tried to pry the handkerchief from Damon's fingers and the vampire let out another pained hiss when fresh blood began to ooze out of a deep hole in his neck.

Ric frowned at the blood now coating his hand as well. "What happened?"

"Elijah and I had a nice little chat and…"

"No," Ric cut him off and leaned down to examine the wound further. "I mean, why isn't it healing?" He fisted a hand in Damon's hair and tilted his head to the side. "What did he stab you with?"

"A pencil," Damon growled and jerked his head out of Alaric's grip.

"Damn it, Damon. Hold still, I just wanna…"

"Play Florence Nightingale? Doesn't suit you, Ric." Damon tried to stand up but Ric pushed him into the chair again.

"Yeah, well," he shrugged, "bleeding all over Mayor Lockwood's desk doesn't suit you either and yet you're doing just that, so… do me a favor and shut up, Damon. You need to get out of here and, well, as Elijah pointed out to me earlier, you walking out bleeding like a stabbed pig would draw the kind of attention that we don't need right now. So, hold still and give me access to your neck."

Damon wiggled his eyebrows at him. "Rehearsing lines for when you become a vampire, Ric? I didn't know you felt that way…"

"Huh?"

"Hold still and give me access to your neck?" Damon sarcastically repeated Ric's earlier words. "Trust me, that line has never worked before."

"Shut up, Damon!" Ric shook his head, exasperated, but noticed that Damon had made no move to stand again. So he took a closer look at Damon's neck and prodded a finger at the hole's edges.

Damon let out a sharp hiss when fresh pain stabbed through his throat.

"Looks like a splinter is stuck in there, otherwise it would have closed already, right?"

Damon rolled his eyes to mask his pain. "Yeah, you're a genius, Ric. Now get it out!"

"How?"

Ric took a quick look around the desk, searching for a sharp enough object. Perhaps the letter opener? He reached out but Damon beat him to it. With a dark glare the vampire handed it over, hilt forward.

"Careful now, Ric!"

Alaric didn't bother with a reply but grabbed Damon by his shoulders and spun him around with the chair until the sunlight steaming in hit Damon's neck at the right angle. Letter opener in his right he stepped closer until he stood directly in front of Damon. Or rather, stood half over him really.

Legs on both sides of the vampire's knees Ric bent down and with his left hand tilted Damon's face to the side.

A low chuckle from Damon had Ric's eyes leave the wound to throw a questioning glare at Damon's face instead.

"Let's hope Jenna doesn't choose this moment to come in here looking for you," Damon smirked. "Wouldn't want to give her the wrong impression now, would we?"

For a second Ric wasn't sure what Damon was hinting at but then he realized what his position, towering over Damon like this, one hand on his shoulder and their knees touching, would insinuate to anyone walking in right now.

Ric shook his head but didn't move away. "That would really make my day," he chuckled. "God knows I get enough crap already for hanging out with you. And not just from Jenna."

"Really?" Damon's eyebrows shot up. "Who else thinks we're having hot gay sex on a regular basis?"

Alaric had been about to prod at Damon's wound but now he straightened up again and stared down at him in shock. "What do you mean, who **else**? Who **is **thinking that we're…? You're kidding, right? Nobody in their right mind could think that!"

He leaned back down and cautiously inserted the sharp letter opener into the hole in Damon's neck. Fresh blood gushed out and ran down the blade till it reached Ric's fingers.

"If you say so, Ric!" Damon smirked but it came out strained due to the pain in his neck. "I guess Stefan and Elena and Carol Lockwood and every member of the Council are out of their right mind then? Works for meeee-ow!"

"Meow?" Alaric took a step backwards and grinned down. "Damon, I swear, if you start purring like a kitten now…"

"Fuck you!" Damon slumped back in his seat and closed his eyes. "That hurt!"

"Sorry," Ric shrugged, not feeling sorry at all. "By the way, the splinter's out, so… you're welcome." He looked down at the bloodied letter opener in his hand and with a careless shrug stuffed it into his pocket. Better the Lockwoods thought it had been stolen than to leave it here looking like this, right?

He wiped his hands on the inside of his jacket and then threw a look at Damon. The vampire had wiped away the blood on his neck and was now cautiously touching his sore throat. Alaric noticed the wound had already closed again.

"Good as new," Ric commented on his work.

"Let's hope so," Damon grumbled and slowly stood up from the chair. He turned his head this way and that, satisfied when it hurt only a bit.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Ric nodded towards the door.

"Gladly!" Damon replied and suited up to him. Ric opened the door and together they made their way through the crowd. Ric stopped briefly, telling Jenna another white lie as to why he was leaving without her, while Damon looked among the people for Andy. When he couldn't spot her anywhere he casually shrugged it off and made his way to the entrance.

Once outside Damon inhaled the fresh air and decided he'd just as well get home on his own. He didn't need a babysitter, did he?

He'd made it two steps down the stairs when Ric showed up by his side.

"Come on, I'll drive you home."

"Thanks, Ric," Damon's voice dripped with sarcasm, "but I think I can manage on my own!"

"I know you can, Damon. But I'd rather see you home than stay here having to listen to every last female in there gushing about the charming Elijah and his perfect manners and nice hair!"

Damon's eyebrows climbed up: "They think Elijah has nice hair?"

"Among other things, yeah," Ric sighed and fell in step beside Damon.

"Women," Damon scoffed and flinched when his throat hurt and he had to cough. "God, I need a drink!"

Ric let out a low chuckle. "See, and that's why I hang out with you."

"Now I'm hurt, Ric!" Damon threw back a mock-hurt look. "And here I thought it was my charming personality that you couldn't get enough of!"

Ric entered his car and waited for Damon to plop into the passenger seat before he answered: "Leave the charming personality to Elijah, Damon. After all, he has the nice hair to go with it."

"Are you saying my hair isn't nice?"

Alaric turned his head to throw a look first at Damon's outraged face and then up to his tousled dark hair. The vampire **had** nice hair, that much Ric had to admit. But he'd rather be stabbed with a hot poker than to say it out loud. Damon was already too full of himself; it wouldn't do to further fuel his vanity after all.

So Ric simply started the car. "Buckle up, Damon. There's a bottle of Scotch waiting for us at your house."

Damon smirked and without another word let the seatbelt click into its place. Then he leaned back in his seat and watched the world pass by. Maybe, he thought, this day wouldn't be a complete bust. After all, drinking with Ric had long since become one of his favorite pastimes.

Not that he'd ever admit to that, mind you. Just like Ric would never admit that he rather liked Damon's hair.

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**The End**


	5. Of Stinky Losers And Drowned Rats

**Of Stinky Losers And Drowned Rats**

_This short little **Delena** one-shot takes place after episode 2x17 'Know Thy Enemy'. It was inspired by Damon's comment after they make Elena sign the deed to the boarding house: "I'm gonna be super pissed if you don't invite me in." (I'm not sure that's exactly what he said but I'm too lazy to look it up now and it doesn't really matter anyway. You get the rough idea what this is about, don't you?)._

_Have fun reading, and please let me know what you think._

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It shouldn't feel like this. It shouldn't feel this normal and kind of familiar, and it certainly wasn't supposed to feel this good.

It was supposed to be a simple form, nothing but a formal ploy to prevent uninvited vampires from entering. It was supposed to be nothing but a way to keep her safe and protected.

So why, Elena thought when she entered the boarding house for the first time after it had officially become hers, why did it feel so good, so right?

The house was hers only technically. Nothing was supposed to change just because Stefan and Damon had left it to her. All Elena had done had been putting her signature onto the deed.

It shouldn't change anything at all. But it did.

Elena strolled through the great entrance hall, her left hand outstretched and sliding along the wooden staircase, and she felt as if she was seeing everything for the first time. And yet it somehow felt like she was coming home all the same.

It even smelled like home. Elena inhaled the rich scent of old wood and furniture, the slightly musty but pleasant smell that seemed to come from the plush carpet, and she watched sunlight flitter around and settle onto every other piece of furniture, making tiny specs of dust happily dance in the air.

Even the dust seemed to be as happy and welcoming as Elena felt right now.

It was breathtaking.

Someone suddenly cleared their throat behind her, overly loud and not at all subtle, and Elena felt her lips twisting into a smile immediately. She didn't need to turn around to know that it was Damon standing on the threshold of the open front door.

She turned to him nevertheless and saw him leaning against the doorframe, the very picture of casualness. His arms were crossed over his chest and both his feet were lined up neatly behind the threshold, careful not to touch it.

Well, he couldn't, could he?

Since both Salvatores had been inside the house the moment Elena had put her name under the deed, they hadn't been immediately affected by the change in ownership. But once they'd stepped outside they'd needed an invitation to come back in.

And Damon was obviously waiting for one just now.

"So, Elena," he drawled in that typical voice of his. "Are you gonna let me back in or do I have to pitch my tent elsewhere from now on?"

Elena's grin widened and she stepped closer to the door. "Huh, let me think about it for a minute. Do I want to invite you in or not?"

She was enjoying this far too much, Damon noticed. But then again, let the girl have her fun for a little while. 'God knows she doesn't get much of it these days. And surely not with my brooding brother.'

He watched Elena's face scrunch up as if in deep thought and couldn't help but smile at seeing her this playful and happy.

She was truly beautiful like this.

Damon tilted his head forward and sought Elena's eyes. "So, what's the verdict?"

"I have one condition," Elena grinned and that small wicked smile around her lips made Damon fall in love with her all over again. And just like that he knew that whatever she'd come up with now, he'd do it.

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow expectantly. "Well, let's hear it."

"I want you to promise me…" Elena inserted a prominent pause for good measure and then carried on: "That I'm allowed to use your bathroom whenever I want to."

"Deal," Damon agreed readily. So his posh bathroom had made an impression on her, huh? Interesting, but not at all surprising. It was after all the most luxurious room this house had to offer. Of course she'd want to take advantage of it. Hell, he would allow her bubble baths four times a day if she'd want to. The more the better! His smirk turned into a dirty leer when he imagined it.

But Elena quickly burst that bubble again.

"I wasn't finished, Damon," her hand shot up and she poked a finger into his chest. "I want you to promise me to not lurk in the shadows somewhere, watching me, while I'm having a bath or whatever. No peeping, got it?"

"But where's the fun in that, Elena?" Damon pouted.

"The fun's for me, Damon. All for me." Elena raised her eyebrows questioningly. "So, promise?"

He cocked his head to the side and eyed her silently for a second. Then, sure that he'd somehow find a way around that if needed (and it was very much needed, wasn't it?), Damon finally nodded. Lifting his hand to perform the universal scout's greeting he stated: "Promise. Scout's honor. Cross my heart and hope to die. Whatever. Deal!"

Elena laughed out loud at his eagerness. "Okay, deal!" She straightened up and gestured for him to come inside. "Damon Salvatore, you are officially invited and welcome into this house!"

"Thank you very much, Miss Gilbert," Damon smiled and slowly made his way inside.

Halfway down the hall he suddenly turned his head and asked over his shoulder: "So, about that bath. Would you care to join me for one now?"

Elena's head shot up in alarm. "What?"

Damon shrugged his shoulders. "You. Me. Taking a nice long soak. I happen to enjoy bubble baths very much, as long as it's with the right person."

Elena could only stare back open-mouthed.

"What?" Damon shrugged again and in the blink of an eye rushed over to invade her personal space. "You never said anything about us not taking a bath together, Elena!" His eyes, too close to Elena's comfort, gleamed with mirth. "In fact, since I'm not allowed to lurk in the shadows as you so well put it, you leave me no choice but to share bath-time with you, right?"

"What? No," Elena sputtered and took a step back. "That's not what I meant, Damon! I meant…"

"I know what you meant," Damon's grin was positively lecherous. He turned and sauntered towards the staircase again. "But, dear Elena, what you **mean** and what you **say** are usually two completely different things. And that's your problem in a nutshell."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Elena stared after Damon who'd by now mounted half of the stairs. He leaned over the banister and winked back: "I'll tell you in the bathtub! Come on, last one in is a stinky loser!"

Elena shook her head but couldn't help but smile at Damon's antics. "I'm not gonna share a bath with you, Damon."

"Stinky loser!" Damon's sing-song-ed voice echoed back from upstairs.

"I'm not stinky!" Elena raced up the stairs after Damon.

"Well, you will be until after you take a bath," Damon reasoned. He was standing in the doorway to his room, waiting for her to suit up. "So, best get it over with, right? After all, vampires have a very sensitive nose and you wouldn't want to offend mine with your smell of stinky loser, would you?"

Elena reached Damon just as he stepped into his room. She followed, not thinking about it twice.

"I'll show you a stinky loser," she laughed and, playfully pushing Damon out of the way, rushed over to climb fully clothed, shoes and all, into the empty bathtub.

"Ha," she shouted triumphantly when Damon rounded the corner, a mix of disbelief, pleasant surprise and utter happiness on his face. "Who's the loser now, huh?"

Damon shook his head to himself. He couldn't believe his luck. Not in his wildest dreams had he ever dared to hope that he'd be the cause for such pure joy and childishness in Elena. And here it was, all over her face, making her even more beautiful than before.

"Huh, who's the loser?" Elena egged him once again.

'Definitely not me,' Damon thought and his eyes gleamed in joy. Before Elena knew what was happening Damon put his vampire speed to use and rushed over, grabbed the spray, turned on the water and doused her in it.

To Damon's utter delight Elena's shocked squeal quickly turned into breathless laughter while she was trying to wrestle the spray from his hands and climb out of the tub at the same time. He had to bite his tongue not to blurt out: 'God, I love you!'

Instead he said: "Elena, you look like a drowned rat. Be glad that I don't do the animal diet, otherwise you'd not be safe here, your house or not!"

Elena couldn't answer for she was laughing too hard and gasping for breath.

God, it felt good to be home.

* * *

**The End**

_I'm not too satisfied with the end but… well, let me know what you think, okay?_


	6. The Elephant In The Room

**The Elephant In The Room**

_A Damon-centric coda to episode 2x18 "The Last Dance"._

Damon had expected he'd fall into an exhausted sleep the minute his head hit the pillow. Really, with everything that had been going on tonight at the Decade Dance and after… Bonnie dying, Elena's devastation about it, her desolation and fury of which he'd willingly borne the brunt of, the clarifying words he'd said to Stefan that had been long-overdue ('_I'll make all the life and death decisions while you're busy worrying about collateral damage. I'll even let her hate me for it. But at the end of the day I'll be the one to keep her alive!_') and last but not least Elena's surprising understanding of what he'd had to do, her face when he'd made clear where his allegiance – and his love - lay (_'I will always choose you!'_), her quiet acceptance of it… all that should have been more than enough to do him in for the night.

Damon should have been exhausted to the bone. If not from the events of tonight then at least the three or four shots of Bourbon he'd quickly downed after Elena had left his room should have finished him off. He should have been dead to the world (and all its problems) right now.

But he wasn't.

He was tossing and turning in his big and empty bed, wide awake and unable to find the much-needed rest.

Because he wasn't done yet. There was one thing, one major life-altering fact, that Damon hadn't allowed himself to think about all night. He'd done everything in his power to stop that one game-changer from entering his mind. He'd known he'd have to keep that thought far away or else he wouldn't have been able to go through with everything.

But now the silence of his empty bedroom had nothing to offer to keep that thought away for longer.

"Oh damn it!" Damon sat with his back against the headboard, eyes focusing on nothing in particular, just staring into the darkness.

He hadn't seen this coming, none of them had. This was a cruel twist in plot that none of them had been able to foresee. And tonight none of them had seemed to be willing to analyze it just yet. Nobody had lost a word about it. It was like a giant elephant had suddenly stepped into the room, into their midst, that nobody was willing to acknowledge yet.

Damon wasn't willing to do so either, in fact he'd rather have his eyes poked out again, but he couldn't stop his mind from going there eventually.

"Damn it," he swore again and closed his eyes. It didn't help, the thought was still there. "Damn it, Rick! How did this happen? You can't be possessed by Klaus! I need you with me in this fight, not on the opposite side! I need you to… I just need you, damn it!"

Damon scooped down until he lay flat on his back. He stared at the ceiling, shook his head as if to clear it, he even closed his eyes again. But the image remained the same.

All Damon could see in his mind was the face of the one person that had called himself his friend, only now a cruel smile twisted his lips in a way that Alaric's had never done before.

It was Klaus' smile.

"I need you back by my side Rick," Damon whispered into the darkness of his room. "I can't do this without you. And I swear, I'm gonna get you back! You are not going to die. Not like this, and not now. I'm gonna get you back!"

With the promise still hanging on his lips Damon finally drifted off into troubled sleep.

* * *

**The End**

_Sorry that this is so short, much shorter than my usual one-shots, but that's all I came up with for now. I just wanted to adress the issue, I wanted someone, preferably Damon, to at least acknowledge the problem that Rick being possessed by Klaus is._

_Comments, anyone?  
_


	7. Try That Again

**Try That Again**

_Damon/Alaric one-shot, takes place after Season 2. Not related to my other stories._

* * *

Damon knows he's been healing just fine. The ugly wound on his arm is no longer there and he hasn't felt dizzy or weak in days.

What he doesn't know though is whether or not he's strong enough to compel someone yet. He hasn't had the chance to try because so far the only human that's been around has been Elena. And of course she's wearing her necklace all the time, so…

There's a knock on the front door and Damon's face lights up when he recognizes the heartbeat.

'Perfect timing,' he thinks and rises from his seat. 'Just the guinea-pig I was looking for.'

Damon opens the door with a smile and before Alaric can utter so much as a 'Hey' he's being pulled over the threshold by his shirtfront.

"Are you on vervain?" Damon pushes Ric's body against the wall and leans close to his stunned face.

"What? Ugh," Ric frowns confused. "How…?"

He doesn't try to move away but throws a pointed look down to Damon's hands that are still clasping his shirt. Damon lets go but doesn't take a step back.

"Actually, no. I've run out of vervain," Ric shrugs when it's clear that Damon's still waiting for an answer. "That's what I came to talk to you about. I took the last I had yesterday morning, so I was wondering if you have…"

Damon's smile becomes positively lecherous and Alaric stops confused. His heart skips a beat – not out of fear, he 's refused to be afraid of Damon a long time ago – and he knows Damon can hear it.

"So you're all vervain-free?" Damon's voice is low, seductive.

Alaric gulps. "Yeah. Damon, what…?"

"Relax, I'm not gonna hurt you," Damon places both hands on Ric's shoulders. "I just need to try something." He lets his gaze slowly glide from Ric's face down to his neck and back up again.

"Damon,"

"Shhht, no talking," he shushes him and is pleased when Alaric's mouth shuts immediately.

'Seems like it's working.' Damon briefly contemplates leaving it at that but then again… a bit more proof won't hurt, right? But what kind of proof is best? What secret can he pull out of Alaric's nose?

Damon meant what he said earlier, he's not gonna hurt Ric. And on some level Ric seems to get that because he's not struggling to get out of Damon's grasp. He's just a teensy bit nervous, if his racing heartbeat is any indication.

"Now," Damon locks his eyes on Ric's and lets his compulsion work. "I want you to tell me…" But then Damon shakes his head. Something better just came to his mind.

"No, Ric. I want you…" Damon leans closer until their noses almost touch, "to want to kiss me."

"I do," Ric promptly replies, voice hoarse all of a sudden. His eyes fly down to Damon's smirking lips.

Damon licks his lips. "Then do it. Kiss me, Ric."

He has barely finished the words when Ric's mouth crashes down on his. His bottom lip is sucked into a scorching heat and Damon has to suppress a surprised gasp. Damn, the teacher is good at this! Damon presses his body closer to Ric's and his hands hold on to the strong shoulders as if his life depends on it. Damon can feel Ric's hands come up to roam over his back and he can't help it. He lets out a low growl and pushes his hips forward into Ric's groin once or twice before he finally pulls away with a start.

Damon looks at Ric – he's wide-eyed and panting and his hands are still fastened around Damon's waist – and lets out a pleased snort.

"Okay, looks like my compulsion is working just fine," Damon states and steps out of Ric's arms. Or, well, he tries to but the other man's hands suddenly tighten.

"Ugh, no," Ric clears his throat. His eyes never leave Damon's. "You didn't compel me."

"What?" Damon's face shows nothing but confusion. "But you just… ugh, in case you hadn't noticed, Ric. You just kissed me."

"I know."

"And you're saying…" Damon's eyes narrow.

"You didn't make me do anything I didn't want to," Alaric shrugs. A small smile hushes over his face. "In fact, I don't think there's anything that you'd have to make me do. But, if you don't believe me, feel free to try that again though."

Damon stares at him, speechless for a second or two, before he leans in to do just that.

And soon enough he realizes that Ric's right, there's actually nothing that Damon has to compel him to do.

* * *

**The End**


	8. Go With The Flow

**Go With The Flow**

_This could be seen as a continuation of my story "The Elephant In The Room" but there's no need to have read that. Just know that after 2x18 Damon was worried about Alaric being possessed by Klaus. This now takes place between 2x19 and 2x20, so Damon's not yet been invited in to Ric's place._

* * *

When Damon entered the living room he was surprised to find Elena all alone. She was sitting, feet tugged under her comfortably, by the window reading a book. Damon sauntered over.

"Where's Stefan?"

Elena didn't look up. "Hunting."

"Elijah?" Not that he cared but…

"I don't know," she shrugged, eyes still fixed on the book. Damon snatched it from her hands and threw a brief glance at the title. 'Gone With The Wind' screamed back at him. Great, so Elena was the one who had stolen the book from his nightstand. Damon tossed it aside without a second thought.

"Hey," Elena groused and finally met his eyes. "I was reading that!"

Damon scowled down at her. "Yeah, and for the next time, before you go stealing things from my room…"

"I didn't steal it, I just…"

"Took it without asking, I know the concept, Elena," Damon waved her off. Then he quickly snatched her outstretched hand and pulled her up from the couch.

"By the way," he added then. "There's no need to read it. There's gonna be a screening in town square soon. And right now I need you to come with me."

"What? Why?" Elena's voice was full of irritation and annoyance.

Damon didn't have time for this. "Come on," he nodded and tried to pull her along. Elena dug her feet in. "Damon!"

He let out a sigh and turned to her, impatience clearly written on his face. But one look into Elena's brown eyes softened Damon's features immediately. He sighed again.

"We're going on a rescue mission," he explained. "Vampire Barbie just called me, freaking out about you being kidnapped again."

Elena's frown deepened. "What? Why would Caroline think that?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Because she just saw you being kidnapped by two, and here I quote, 'unknown, creepy but definitely hot guys'. And one called the other Klaus. Caroline panicked, tried to call you… by the way, your phone's dead, did you know that? She tried Stefan next but of course he didn't answer. He's too busy chasing Bambi and his friends. So in the end she called me."

"But," Elena frowned confused. "I'm not being kidnapped! Unless," she threw a glance down at Damon's hand clasping hers, "unless you count this."

"Don't be ridiculous," Damon's impatience began to show again. They were wasting time here! "I'm simply trying to get you to come with me!"

"Why?"

Damon didn't answer but pulled her into the hall and out the front door. "Damon, stop!" Elena dug her nails into the doorframe. "Why do you need me to…"

Damon had to bury his hands in his pockets or otherwise he would have just grabbed her and thrown her over his shoulder. He took a deep breath and tried to explain instead. "Elena, obviously it wasn't you that's been kidnapped because you're standing here right now, wasting time with your pointless little argument. Ergo, if it wasn't you, it was…"

Elena's face lit up in understanding. "Katherine."

"Yep. So, let's go." Damon turned on his heels and walked over to his car.

"No!" Elena didn't move a foot. "I'm not gonna rescue Katherine with you, Damon. Forget it!"

"We're not gonna rescue **her**, Elena," Damon threw over his shoulder. He'd reached his car and glared back at her.

Apparently he'd managed to pique her curiosity then because Elena slowly made her way over to him. "Huh? Then what, where…?"

In the blink of an eye Damon stood right in front of her. "Elena," he sighed impatiently. "If Caroline saw Katherine outside with an unknown guy named Klaus that means," Damon waited for Elena to pick up the cue but when she didn't he sighed again. Damn it, was he the only one with a brain around here? From Stefan he would've expected this kind of slow dimness but Elena? He'd thought her a bit more clever. Obviously he'd been mistaken. All the more reason to hurry up and do this. Damon needed someone else that was able to put two and two together.

"It means," Damon continued eventually and shoved Elena towards the passenger door. "That Klaus is obviously not possessing Ric anymore. So…"

Elena's eyes widened. "You want to rescue Ric?"

"Finally she gets it!" Damon looked heavenwards in thanks. "Now, will you get in the car? Please?"

Elena nodded sheepishly and without another word slid into the passenger seat.

* * *

Ten minutes later the two of them entered the apartment building and made their way up to Ric's door. Damon motioned for Elena to be quiet for a second while he listened closely for any sign of movement inside. When his vampire hearing picked up nothing but one faint heartbeat he quickly kicked the door in and then stepped back.

"After you," he bowed and let Elena pass.

Elena took a cautious step over the threshold but then, seeing Ric's motionless form on the floor, rushed to his side.

"Ric," she crouched down and shook his shoulder. "Alaric! Wake up, please."

Nothing happened. Elena shook him once more but when Ric showed no sign of responding Elena feared the worst. She tried to find a pulse. "Oh my God, Damon," she threw back over her shoulder. "I can't…"

"I can hear his heartbeat, Elena!" Damon stood with both arms braced against the doorframe to stop himself from trying to punch his way through the invisible barrier keeping him from entering.

"You can?"

"Yes," Damon emphasized. "I can also hear him breathing."

"Can you hear the pounding in my head as well?" Ric's voice was unsteady but when Elena's head rushed around to him again she was glad to see his eyes open. "God," he groaned. "Feels like the worst hangover ever."

"Ric," Elena exclaimed relieved and took hold of his shoulder to help him sit up. "Careful. Are you okay?"

"Elena?" Alaric tried to focus his eyes on the girl. "What happened?"

"Some evil magic body-snatching, that's what happened," came Damon's dry voice from the door. Alaric's head swirled around. Despite the sarcastic voice he could detect a glint of emotion in the vampire's face. Damon looked… relieved?

"What the hell happened?" Ric repeated. "Why are you lurking in the doorframe?"

"Because you have yet to invite me in, Ric."

"Oh," Ric sat up properly and scratched his head. He looked once again at Elena still crouched by his side. "Do I have to?"

Elena smiled back. "Well, you don't have to but…"

"Oh, come on," Damon scoffed from afar. "What are you waiting for?"

"I'm waiting for some of this to make sense. I mean," Ric struggled to get to his feet and with a little help from Elena managed to stand eventually. "One minute my dead vampire wife corners me at my car and the next I wake up on the floor with the worst headache ever."

"I'd be happy filling the gaps for you," Damon watched Ric come closer to the door. He seemed to be okay, if a bit wobbly on his feet. "But I'd be even more happy if you'd let me inside."

Ric had almost reached the door when his knees suddenly gave out and he swayed forward. But instead of crashing face-first to the floor he found himself caught by strong arms. Ric blinked, shook the dizziness from his head and stared into Damon's face inches from his.

"Huh," he managed to wheeze out. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Damon grinned back, not easing up on his hold. Alaric tried to regain his footing as much as Damon's arms around his body would allow. Then the two men stood motionless in the doorway, Ric inside and Damon just outside, eyes locked and apparently communicating silently.

Finally Elena cleared her throat.

"Ugh, Ric? Maybe you should sit down."

"Yeah," Ric smiled back sheepishly. He threw a pointed look at Damon's hands still clasping his waist and when Damon let go he took a step back.

"I guess you'd better come in, Damon."

"Sure," the vampire smirked and stepped inside.

When the three of them had settled down in the living room area Alaric finally wanted to know: "So, what the hell happened?"

He'd looked at Damon while asking but the vampire ignored him and stood up to saunter over to the kitchen instead.

"Damon?" Ric watched him roam through the kitchen cabinets. "What are you doing?"

"Where do you keep your booze?" Damon countered. "I could use a drink and I guess you'd better have one, too."

"That bad, huh?" Ric frowned. "Second cupboard on the left."

"Nope, looked there already. It's empty," Damon crouched down to search the cupboards there.

"Can't be," Ric's frown deepened. "I know there's a bottle of Bourbon there."

"U-huh," Damon emerged from his crouched position. "Guess Klaus raided your bar." With a triumphant grin he waved a bottle around. "But looks like he didn't get to your emergency stack."

Damon came back to the couch with the bottle in one and three glasses clasped in his other hand. "Lucky for us you're one of those pathetic bachelor guys that have more booze than food at home."

Alaric was about to shoot back an affronted comeback but then something registered on his mind and all he could utter was: "Klaus? Klaus was here?"

"Oh, yeah," Damon nodded and, suddenly thinking of something, stopped pouring shots. "And I bet he'll be back so… unless you want to ask him why he felt the need to hijack your body for a while… how about we move this party elsewhere?"

Alaric had some trouble wrapping his mind around all Damon was saying but nevertheless he stood up and without a thought followed Damon and Elena out the door.

"Sure, good point."

* * *

They made their way to Damon's car in silence but when they'd all settled down Damon turned to the passenger seat: "You know what I like most about you, Ric?"

Alaric hadn't even known that there was something Damon liked about him, let alone several things that would warrant a rating of sorts. So he kept quiet but raised an eyebrow in expectation.

"You don't waste time asking stupid questions. You go with the flow. You take things in stride, levelheaded and cool as cucumber. You're a lot like me," Damon flashed him a smirk. "Only, you know, much less hot and sexy."

In the backseat Elena let out a snort. "Right!"

"Hey, you think I'm wrong?" Damon threw back to her.

"I think you're severely overestimating yourself, Damon, and I don't wanna know most of the things your delusional mind sprouts." Elena shot back. But with a look at the stunned-into-silence Ric she added: "But sometimes I think that delusional mind of yours actually spews forth a good plan."

"Ouch," Damon chuckled. "I think there was an insult in there somewhere. But I prefer to overlook it in favor of the compliment."

"I didn't mean…"

"Yes, you did," Damon cut her off, pleased with himself.

Ric watched the two bickering back and forth like children and couldn't help but wish himself back to the silence of his apartment. At least he hadn't had to endure their quarrels when he'd been lying there unconscious. On the other hand, if what Damon had said was true, and Klaus had really invaded his place (and apparently his body as well)… he'd be much better off listening to those two trade barbs, even if it was giving him an even worse headache.

Seriously, it was like watching a tennis match. A very loud and annoying tennis match.

"Shut up, you two," Ric finally ground out, one hand massaging his throbbing temple.

"Sorry, Ric," Elena immediately apologized and fell silent.

Damon shut up as well but his eyes sought out Alaric's strained face. "Here," he held out the bottle of Bourbon. "This should help."

"I fail to see how, unless I use it to smash your skull. Or stuff it down your throat. That should stop you from talking."

Despite his grumbled voice Ric snatched the bottle from Damon's hand and took a great swig.

Then he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Damon watched him for a while, concern clearly written all over his face.

"Damon," Elena hissed from the backseat. "Eyes on the road!"

Damon's head snapped back to the traffic and he concentrated on getting them home safe and sound. But Elena could see him throw quick glances to the right every few seconds. Glances she recognized immediately.

It was the same look she would give Bonnie or Caroline or even Jeremy if they'd been hurting. The look anyone would give family or a friend in pain.

Elena smiled to herself.

This was good.

* * *

**The End**


	9. It's Not Always A Bad Thing

**It's Not Always A Bad Thing Not To Be Chosen**

_I found this half-finished one-shot on my computer and I thought why not finish it? It's a coda to Damon's confession from 2x18 ("I will always choose you."). Takes place the same night or shortly after that, but it's kind of AU plot-wise. Elijah hasn't been resurrected and they have figured out a different plan to defeat Klaus, but the plot is not important in any way. This is about Damon and Elena only._

* * *

The lights in the living room of the Boarding House were dim but Damon didn't need any light to know that the bottle he'd just poured himself a drink from held one of the finest Whiskeys in the world. He'd purchased it nearly a century ago and had wanted to save it for a special occasion.

Well, tonight was very special.

It was the calm before the storm, the last night of peace, before tomorrow all hell would break loose. The plan to kill Klaus had been set in motion and tomorrow they'd do it… they'd either kill Klaus and save Elena… or they'd die trying.

Well, at least Damon was sure that he would. Die trying, that is. And he was astonishingly okay with it. Better he died than someone else, right? Damon knew that of all of Elena's friends he was the least important one.

So…

"Damon, there you are," Elena's voice drifted over to where Damon stood in front of the big fireplace. He didn't turn around but took a swig from his tumbler before he set it down on the mantelpiece. Then he leaned with both hands on the stone, bracing himself for whatever it was Elena had come to say.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Can I stop you from talking?" Damon countered, his voice wary and flippant all the same. He heard Elena sigh. Then a shuffle of feet told him she'd started moving towards him.

"Damon!"

"Elena," he shot back, using the same exasperated tone she'd used.

Elena let out another sigh. It looked like Damon was in a mood. He had obviously every intention of making this difficult for her. Nevertheless Elena approached him further.

"Don't!" Damon swirled around and held up a hand to stop her from coming any closer. Elena ignored it. "Damon,"

"No, Elena!" Damon shook his head once. His blue eyes seemed to pierce her right through. "I'm not gonna listen to you saying your goodbyes. You are not gonna die tomorrow."

"I know," Elena surprised him. She sounded very confident. "I know that you won't let that happen, Damon. Of all my friends you are the one that's most determined to save me. I got that when you said you'd always choose me, Damon."

Damon bit his tongue to stop himself from demanding to know if that's the only thing she'd gotten from his confession. He'd meant so much more with these words…

He stared at the girl in front of him but Elena in turn couldn't hold his penetrating gaze. Her eyes were downcast, focusing on her shoes.

"I'm not here to say goodbye, Damon." Elena eventually looked up.

"Good."

"I wanted to…" Elena broke off and took a deep breath instead. Damon cocked his head to the side, not sure what to await from her now.

"Damon, there's something I need to say. Something you need to hear. Because I don't think you know. If…" Elena faltered for a moment but then squared her shoulders and locked her eyes on his. "You know that I don't want anyone to risk their life for me. But you also know that it might still come down to it. Tomorrow somebody might die to save my life. As much as I don't want that… If it comes down to it, if I had to choose…"

"I get it, Elena!" Damon started to turn away. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't need to hear it. He already knew that she expected him to be the better man, to lay down his worthless life for her. And he would, so…

"No, Damon!" Elena's voice rose and she grabbed his arm. Her hand clasped around his biceps and although Damon could have easily thrown her off he let himself be turned around again. "See, you don't get it," Elena continued with a shake of her head. "That's why I have to spell it out for you. If it came down to letting someone die in my place… I would **never** choose you, Damon!"

Damon was stunned, shell-shocked. He stared into Elena's brown eyes, searching for something… he didn't know what he was looking for, only that he didn't find it. Elena's eyes held nothing but the truth.

"See," Elena went on after a while. "I know that you think you're not… I know what you think, Damon."

"No, you don't," Damon countered, more out of habit than anything else. He had no idea what to think for himself, so how should Elena know his thoughts?

"Yes, I do," Elena was adamant. "You think that your life means less to me than Stefan's or Bonnie's or Caroline's or Ric's. But you're wrong, Damon. I care about you. Just like I care about them. I don't want anyone to die for me. Not Stefan, not Bonnie, and certainly not you, Damon."

"I get what you're trying to do, Elena," Damon eventually ground out through clenched teeth. He flashed her one of his trademark smirks. "You're saying this so that I won't do anything stupid tomorrow, I get it. And I appreciate it, it's very selfless of you…"

"Selfless?" Elena laughed, incredulous. "No, Damon. It's not selfless. Quite the opposite. In fact, I couldn't be more selfish right now. Because I'm not saying this for your sake. Of course I don't want you to do something stupid tomorrow. I want you to be careful. I want you to be cautious. I want you to survive whatever it is we'll have to face tomorrow. Because…" Elena took a step closer and her other hand came up to rest on his cheek. "Because I don't think I could go on without you in my life. I know I couldn't. I can't lose you, Damon. I know it's selfish but, please, Damon. I can't lose you."

She watched Damon close his eyes for the briefest of seconds, as if he wanted to savor the moment for as long as it would last. But when his eyes opened again, Elena realized that they didn't hold what she'd been hoping for.

Understanding, belief… it wasn't there in his ice-blue eyes. Only defeat.

Damon didn't believe she'd genuinely meant what she'd said. He didn't believe her.

Elena let out a sigh. She'd no idea what else to say. How to convince him…

Without a word Damon slowly pulled away from her. He started to turn around, put some distance between them, and suddenly Elena got angry. Why didn't he believe her?

"Damn it, Damon!" She let out, frustrated. "What does it take for you to believe me? What more can I say? What do you want me to do?"

Damon eyed her closely. "Don't die tomorrow, Elena. That's all I ask." He lifted his hand and placed it on the side of her face. His thumb stroked softly over her cheek. "Don't die. So that you can say it again one day, and maybe even mean it."

A small glimmer of hope appeared in Elena's eyes. "But that would mean that you'd be there to hear me say it, Damon."

"True."

Elena realized that Damon was still caressing her cheek. She leaned into the touch and sent him a smile. "So we have a deal then? I promise, I'll tell you again what you mean to me after we both survive this. Okay?"

"We have a deal," Damon stated with a note of finality. But when Elena made a motion as if to step away Damon's grip on her tightened and he repeated: "Remember, you have to survive. I mean it."

"It will only mean something if you do, too." Elena whispered back equally intense. Her fingers came up to graze over his cheekbones so tenderly that Damon had to close his eyes. "Promise me, Damon."

Damon could feel her plea ghost over his lips, they were standing so close. He opened his eyes again. Elena's eyes glistened with unshed tears. Tears for him.

And something inside Damon broke and finally gave way. "I promise," he whispered against her lips. Then he leaned forward the missing inch and sealed his promise with a soft kiss.

Elena pulled away after a second but, Damon noted, not before she'd given him the softest press of lips back. "Thank you," she breathed out and with a gentle smile took a step back. "I'll hold you to it."

And she did.

* * *

**The End**

**_Not my best work, I know, but... anyhow, tell me what I could have done better._  
**


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